Chapter 3: The Mystery is Solved by All
Melodi hugged herself against the common room door. She was out of breath and panting wildly. Her lungs were tightening in her chest, making it hard to get any air. What had just happened? Too many thoughts were swirling in her head, she needed to lie down. All thoughts of class left her as she made her way up the stairs to her room. The room started to tilt around her, her legs weakened, and her stomach turned over. 'What is happening to me?!' she screamed in her head. Melodi tripped on a stair, but caught the railing to keep from falling down. Her vision blurred- colors were swimming through her eyes; red, purple, blue, all mixing together. And then her head was on something soft. 'I must've made it to my bed.' Her eyes closed and the colors surrounded her. Pictures flashed through her mind, like a movie in fast forward. In her dream, there were columns around her, like in the pictures that
depicted antiquity. People were bowing before her, offering her foods, precious metals, fabrics of all colors and textures. She sat up high, as if on a gigantic throne. Whispers filled her mind, pleadings and prayers of the people who offered her the rich bounty. She saw herself, flying through the sky, weaving in and out of the clouds on her way from house to house. She would land next to a person, whisper in their ear and then fly away. The next flash was of her in a battle. Her voice was shrill and pierced through the air like javelins, each one finding a target. Men, soldiers, warriors dropped to their knees before her, covering their ears in agony. Full grown men passed out after vomiting up their insides. Still the piercing sounds did not stop. Soon, the men closest to her started to tremble violently. Their skin looked like wax under a fire, bubbling and shifting on their bodies. The flesh melted away, muscle mass spilled out over the cold earth, and all that remained were the skeletons of men. Moans of inexplicable horror filled her ears, but she could not stop. When a grave silence settled over her, the noise stopped. She looked around, pleased at her handiwork.
The next flash was of her, lying in the middle of a large bed. She was wrapped in silks and satins of all colors, bowls of fruit lay next to her, beautiful women and men lay at the foot of her bed. She caught the flash of metal through the corner of her eye. Suddenly, a pain ripped through her, but a hand covered her mouth so she could not scream. The lethal determination of the blade's wielder was evident in the pain that shot
through her writhing body. She felt herself disappearing and she looked down, she knew she was still on the bed, but she could not see herself. The hand was startled and pulled away. 'Kill it, kill it now!' She heard an angry male voice over her head. The pain continued to course through her body. She knew she wasn't strong enough to move, or use her voice to save her. It was the end. She felt another, unearthly stab of pain, then another and another, until they all rolled into one massive agony. The last thing she heard as she slipped away, was her own voice, gurgling on death. Then it was all black.
"Malfoy! What in bloody hell are you doing here? Where's Melodi?" Hermione almost tripped over him as she rounded the corner to the portrait. She looked down at him, his skin was paler than normal and he was sweating profusely. Malfoy looked up at the three friends and tried to smirk.
"Your little psychotic friend slammed into me on her way into the Tower. I suggest you put her on a leash, seeing as how you can't keep her under control. Now, if you three don't mind, I'd like to get as far away from the Gryffindor Tower as possible." With that he shakily stood up and hobbled away. Hermione watched as he left. 'Something is not right here, but I don't know what.' she thought to herself. Harry was talking to the Fat Lady in the portrait who was excitedly telling him what happened.
".and then before I even knew what happened, she had that mean- mouthed little boy raised above her head with just one hand. The most amazing thing I've ever seen. She was still yelling at him, but I don't quite remember what she was saying because her voice was so unusual that I had to cover my ears. Then he was on the ground and she was inside. Amazing sight, if I do say so myself, and I do! I cannot wait to tell the other portraits at tea time, they won't believe what happened ." Harry said his thanks and the password. The fat lady was still chattering as they all entered the common room. The three friends circled around but there was no sign of Melodi anywhere.
"Hermione, you should go check the girl's tower. Maybe she locked herself in her room." Ron suggested. Hermione nodded and headed up the stairs. Before she got halfway up, she saw Melodi lying in the middle of the hallway, unconscious.
"You guys! She's unconscious! We have to get her to Madame Pomfrey!" Hermione called from the stairs. Hermione put the mobilius spell on Melodi's form and floated her down the stairs.
The three friends took turns floating her to the hospital wing. When they got there, they set her on a bed as Madame Pomfrey came running out.
"What happened to the poor dear?!"
"Madame Pomfrey, we're not sure. We found her like this in Gryffindor Tower. We thought it best to just bring her here to you." Harry informed the medi-witch as she bustled about performing spells to see what happened to Melodi.
"Well, I'm glad you did. Now Harry, you go get Professor Dumbledore while Hermione and Ron, you two go to whatever class you had next and inform the Professor of the situation. When you have finished with that, stay in class and don't worry about your friend here; she'll be fine under my care." Madame Pomfrey did all but physically push them out of the room.
"She will be okay, right Hermione?" Ron asked, a worried look in his eyes.
"She will be fine Ron. You heard Madame Pomfrey, don't worry about it. Now come on, our next class is Potions with Snape. And this is a something I'd rather get over sooner than later."
Snape paced around the classroom, watching as the dimwitted seventh year Gryffindors attempted to make a simple Skele-grow Potion. He grimaced at the fact that the Golden Trio and his niece were all missing from class. But he had warned himself, he could not show any outright concern. He had just headed over to Longbottom's cauldron when his classroom door opened, allowing Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to enter.
"Perhaps, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, you would both like to spend two weeks of detention with myself for being over 20 minutes late for your first potions class. 50 points each from Gryffindor. Now, please take your seats and begin working." Snape made his words icy and venomous. No one dared to come in that late to his class.
"Professor Snape, we were late because." Hermione started to explain after she and Ron had sat at their desks.
"Miss Granger, I do not care about the details of how or why you were late. They are inconsequential to me."
"But, Professor Snape." Ron tried to cut in,
"Another 20 points from Gryffindor for disobeying a Professor. Now both of you be quiet!" Snape's voice thundered out in the stone classroom, echoing off the walls. Just as his voice died down, Harry came waltzing through the door. Snape turned to him, fury making his voice as cold as steel. "Welcome, Mr. Potter. So nice of you to finally join us. Please do take a seat. Oh, yes, and another 50 points from Gryffindor." Snape laughed in his head, Gryffindor was losing points by the second.
"Professor Snape, I just came from Madame Pomfrey. She sent me to get Dumbledore because Hermione, Ron and I found the new student, Melodi DeRowane, unconscious in the Gryffindor Tower. We took her to the hospital wing. That's why we were all late. Madame Pomfrey told us to tell you." Harry said, after looking at his two friends, both staring angrily at Professor Snape.
Snape caught himself before he reacted. Melodi was hurt? What could have happened to her in the Tower to leave her unconscious? But Snape knew the answer already- the Skills of Dreams. Morpheus' heir was starting her transformation. He didn't know exactly what that entailed, but if it had left Melodi unconscious, it couldn't have been good. He had to see her, make sure she was okay. 'Damnit man, she's old enough to take care of herself. Just let it be. She said today she didn't want your help anyway.' Snape mentally shook himself. What was he saying? She didn't know what she needed, she was still a child. A stubborn child, nonetheless, being one of his kin. Snape thought quickly as the students started finishing their potions. He would go see her once classes were over. "As soon as you've finished your potions, bottle them and then you are dismissed." Snape turned and sat as his desk, pretending to mark papers as he waited for the last student to hand in his potion.
Surprisingly, Hermione, Ron and Harry had all finished their potions first and sped out of the classroom, no doubt in a hurry to check on their friend. When the last student had left, Snape headed towards the hospital wing. He walked in to see the three Gryffindors, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore all surrounding Melodi's bed. Dumbledore turned around as Snape approached.
"Severus, old boy. She's going to be fine. But I do think there are some things that you and I must discuss." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. 'Bloody twinkle. Does it ever stop?' Snape asked himself.
"Why does that greasy old git care about her?" Ron whispered to Harry. Harry shrugged and looked away as Snape's glare was turned toward him.
"If you really must know, Mr. Weasley. This 'greasy old git' cares for her, because she is my niece. Not that it is any of your business." Snape replied, slight fury making his voice heavy. The shocked expressions on the three students and Madame Pomfrey were almost too much for Severus. He almost wanted to laugh. Almost.
"Your. niece?"
"Yes, Miss Granger, my niece. I did not think that you of all people would have to be informed of the meaning of the word." Snape's sarcastic remark hit its mark as Hermione winced and then glared.
"I know very well what the word means, Professor. I just did not expect the two of you to be related. I mean, Melodi's so nice and you're." Hermione covered her mouth with her hand before she finished her sentence, but her words hung in the air.
"And I'm so what Miss Granger? Mean and old and insufferable? I have been called worse." Snape turned back to Professor Dumbledore and his still twinkling eyes, dismissing the three gawking students behind him. "Headmaster, perhaps we should discuss my niece's wellbeing. Now is as good a time as any." Dumbledore nodded and the two walked to his office, leaving the Golden Trio open mouthed and wide eyed, staring at their unconscious friend.
Draco was pushing his food around on his plate. He was anxious. Potter, Weasel and Mudblood were nowhere to be seen. Along with them, Melodi was gone too. Draco thought back to this afternoon. He had never experienced anything like it, especially at the hands of a girl his age. Her eyes, her voice, and her strength- it scared him but he still felt drawn to her. 'Of course I'm drawn to her, all Slytherins are drawn to power.' He chided himself. Draco felt his stomach shift. Ever since this afternoon, he had been nauseous to no end. Before he could stop it the feelings from this afternoon flooded over him. Pain shot through his head and stomach, causing him to wince and stand up from the table.
"Where you going Drakey?" Pansy whined as she noticed him leaving. She grabbed his arm to pull him back down, but he shrugged her off violently.
"I have work to do Pansy. Let me be." He did his best to walk normally out of the Great Hall. As he turned the corner that led to the Slytherin Tower, Draco suffered another bout of pain, this time worse than the last. His vision wavered, and he felt himself struggling to not vomit. He stumbled down the hall and right into a mass of flesh. He gazed up into twinkling eyes; he groaned loudly and passed out at the feet of Professors Dumbledore and Snape.
Snape paced Dumbledore's office, trying to work out a way to word his thoughts. Dumbledore sat as his desk, hands steepled in thought. "Well, Severus, is there something you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore voiced. Snape smirked; Dumbledore knew very well what Snape had to tell him. 'Well, no use in talking around it then.' Snape thought to himself.
"Headmaster, my niece, she's..she's different." Snape started. Dumbledore nodded his head, signaling for Snape to go on. "She.Headmaster, have you ever heard of the fabled Powers of Morpheus?" Snape went on, not waiting for an answer. "It says that the old God Morpheus would choose only one heir, and to this heir he would bestow his powers. Morpheus' heir would go through a transformation of sorts, though the text does not go into detail about what this transformation includes. It does, however, describe the powers this heir shall receive. 'When her eyes bleed black, it is the first sign of transformation. Soon to follow will be an unmatchable strength of arms and mind, a piercing defense that will render enemies helpless, the ability to shift forms both animate and inanimate, and the power to disappear.' Headmaster, I was.discussing matters with my niece in the hall, and she got angry. Her eyes turned completely black, just like the text says! My niece is the heir of Morpheus!" Snape banged his fist on the back of a chair.
Dumbledore sat quietly for a minute as Snape glared at the fireplace.
"Severus, I already know the answer to this question but, does the child know all of this?"
"Of course not! I didn't learn this information myself until lunch. And since she was unconscious at the time, I was not able to speak with her about during or after class."
"I understand." Dumbledore gazed carefully at Snape, searching him. "Severus, is there anything else that you aren't telling me?"
Snape grimaced. Of course there was more, there was always more. Nothing came without a warning label.
"The text also says 'Ye who inherit the dreams must seek the light or else darkness will swallow the world.' Headmaster, I believe this warning has to do with the War against Voldemort." Another thought suddenly struck Snape as he sat, overwhelmed in his chair. "And I think that may be the reason my cousin sent her to us. She wrote me a letter and in it she said that her husband was trying to get Melodi to join the Dark lord, but she wouldn't stand for it. Maybe she had reason to believe her husband was so intent on getting Melodi to join because they knew she was going to be receiving those powers."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "That may be, Severus. I do not want to take the chance of owling anyone about this just yet. Let us go to dinner, and then we can head back to the infirmary and see how your niece is doing. I heard that the house elves have been preparing a wonderful meal for tonight's dinner, it would be a shame for us to miss out on it."
Snape rolled his eyes. Dumbledore was always focused on food of some sort. Although he did not want to spend anymore time with a hall full of students, he followed Dumbledore down to the Great Hall. The two were walking side by side when Draco Malfoy stumbled into their vision and collapsed onto the floor. He looked up, eyes glossed over, and groaned loudly. Snape couldn't keep the look of shock off of his face. He had only heard a groan like that when the Dark Lord was torturing someone. Then the boy passed out at his feet.
Dumbledore and Snape hurriedly picked up the boy and rushed him to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey came flying out, "Good heavens, what has happened with this one?! Two in one day, my word!" Snape sat the boy on the bed across from Melodi and Poppy rushed around mending Draco.
Snape and Dumbledore sat, watching as all of a sudden Draco's body convulsed and he started dry-heaving violently. Madame Pomfrey strapped him down to the bed and poured a vial of green liquid down his throat.
"Severus, don't just sit there, come help me get him under control. He's going to vomit up his insides if we don't stop it!" she shrieked across the room. Snape jumped up and went over to the bed, holding Draco's head still so Poppy could continue pouring vial after vial down his throat. Dumbledore, did his part by unstoppering the vials and handing them to the medi-witch. After a few minutes, that seemed to take forever, Draco's body stopped convulsing and he went limp.
"Poppy is he okay?" Dumbledore asked, a worried look in his old eyes.
"He'll be fine Headmaster. You got him here just in time." She sighed as she sat down next to Draco's bed.
"What caused this?" Snape asked, staring at Draco's limp form. Poppy ran her hands down her arms, as if suppressing a chill.
"I'm not positive. I never thought I would see something like this, but I did learn about something like it. When I was going through training, one of my instructors told us all about this incredible power that can cause a long and tortuous death. It starts with a dizzying headache that paralyzes the person, then it causes the victim to literally vomit up their insides- intestines, stomach lining, everything." The older woman shook with her memories. "That's not the worst though. Soon, the skin starts to boil and melt, whatever wasn't vomited up leaks out once the skin is gone, and all that remains is a skeleton."
"Poppy, I know this isn't my area of expertise, but, how did you know that..THAT would happen to Draco? How did you know it wasn't something else?" Dumbledore gently prodded the woman for answers. Poppy sighed again, collecting herself before she spoke.
"In all honesty, I never would have guessed it if I hadn't used my wand to check him over. His body was glowing bright silver. I have never seen that before. Each injury and medical issue has its own color, that's why I always double check a patient with my wand, to make sure I have accurately diagnosed the problem. Nothing that I have ever studied glows silver. When I didn't recognize it, I remembered what my instructor told me."
Snape and Dumbledore looked at each other. They didn't have to voice their concern, each knew what the other was thinking- The Powers of Morpheus.
Ron, Harry and Hermione sat in their common room. Hermione was trying to study while Ron and Harry played a game of Wizard's Chess. After a half hour or so, Hermione was no further along in her studies, and Ron had successfully beat Harry three times in a row.
"What's the matter Harry? This is your third loss! I know I'm good, but you're flattering me right now." Ron tried to grin at his friend, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Harry sighed and sat back in his seat, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"I'm just worried about Melodi. I mean, I just wish I knew what was wrong and what had happened. I feel so useless just sitting here." Harry's voice was full of despondence. He looked up at his two friends, knowing that they felt the same way. It was there, in all of their eyes, that forlorn look a person gets when they are totally helpless to do anything but wait and worry. Harry turned to Hermione, the Head Girl knew all the rules. "Maybe if we go, Madame Pomfrey will let us see her?"
"I don't see why not. After all, it isn't after hours yet." Hermione smiled her answer. "But I doubt she will let us stay too long. Melodi may not even be conscious yet." The three headed in silence down the corridors and to the hospital wing. There was no sign of Madame Pomfrey so they headed towards Melodi's bed. Ron and Harry took the two seats on Melodi's right side, leaving Hermione to go fetch a chair from across the room. As she was lifting the chair, Hermione noticed a figure in the bed across the room. Was that. no! It couldn't be, could it? Also unconscious, in the bed directly across from Melodi's, lay Draco Malfoy.
"Hey you two, look at this." Hermione crossed to Draco's bedside, looking over him to see what was wrong. There were no visible signs of ailment or injury, just a grave stillness to his usually animate form. "Malfoy is unconscious too. I wonder what's going on." Harry and Ron both looked over at the bed, not bothering to get up.
"Serves him right, stupid bastard." Ron muttered, turning his gaze back to Melodi. Hermione shrugged and carried her chair to join her friends. 'Wait! Wasn't Malfoy limping away today before we found Melodi? What if someone attacked them? No, that's not right. What did the Fat Lady in the Portrait say. something about an unusual voice?' Hermione was chewing her bottom lip in thought.
"Harry, what did the Fat Lady in the Portrait say to you today right before we found Melodi?" Hermione questioned her friend. Harry closed his eyes, willing himself to remember.
"I think she said something about how Melodi lifted Draco in the air, then dropped him and ran into the room." Harry replied.
"No, not that part. The part about an unusual voice or something."
"Oh, well she said that Melodi was yelling at Draco, but she didn't hear what was being said because Melodi's voice was unusual and she had to cover her ears." Harry paused, his mind starting to click. "Come to think of it, that's a weird thing to say. I could understand if she had to cover her ears because Melodi's voice was loud, but she said it was unusual. What do you think she meant by unusual?"
"I don't know Harry, but I'm going to find out. I'll see you two later, I'm going to the library." Hermione dashed out of the hospital wing and down the corridors to the library. The whole trip, all she could think of was what the woman in the portrait had said 'unusual voice'. Hermione made her way into the back part of the library, scanning the rows as she went. She pulled out book after book on myths, legends, fables, and fairytales. 'Unusual voice.' It ran through her mind as she flipped through page after page, searching for she didn't know what. It was on the tip of her mind, but she couldn't remember specifically what she needed.
"Ha!" Hermione yelped when she found the topic that had been eluding her. The book 'Great Fables and Fairytales of The Magic World' lay open to a chapter entitled 'Greek Fable 10: Morpheus' Heir of Power'. Hermione quickly read the chapter and gasped when she finished. 'Unusual voice. One of the Powers of Morpheus is a voice defense.' She reread the passage to make sure she was correct:
"Morpheus was known not only for his ability to create and alter dreams, but also for his unique powers of defense. It is said that during battles, Morpheus' incredible strength matched no other, he could take down thirty men with one swipe of an arm. However, Morpheus' greatest power lay in his voice. During the Battle of The Immortals, Greece's army marched towards the gods and goddesses and presented a mighty force. The Immortals were weakening, and their one hope lay in Morpheus. Standing on a cliff above the marching army, Morpheus was said to have made a sound like no other. The opposing army fell to it's knees as the unusual voice echoed across the valley. Men fell were they stood, vomiting up their insides. Soon after, their skin melted away, their muscles leaked out, and all that was left was an army of skeletal bones."
Hermione shivered 'The woman in the portrait said Melodi lifted Draco over her head. She would need to be incredibly strong to lift a seasoned Quidditch seeker.' At the same time, the words 'incredible strength' flashed through her mind. 'And she has the unusual voice. I bet she used that on Malfoy too. That's why he was hobbling away, and that's why he's unconscious now.' Hermione shut the book and stared at the cover, willing herself to not think the next thought, but she couldn't help it. Melodi was the heir.
The clock rang the time, fifteen minutes till curfew. Hermione checked out the book she had been reading and headed to her room. She needed time to think, and of course she needed to figure out how to explain this all to Harry and Ron without them both flipping out.
Later that night, Draco rolled over and groaned, opening his eyes from the pain. He looked around, he wasn't in his room. Where was he? All he remembered was leaving dinner and.the pain and. those eyes. Dumbledore's eyes. He must've passed out and the Headmaster brought him here.
Draco sat up in bed, running a hand through his sticky hair. He needed a shower, his entire body was covered in a film of dried sweat. He noticed a form across the room. Someone else was spending the night in the hospital wing too. Against his body's wishes, Draco pulled the blankets off of himself and set his feet on the floor. The cold tiles bit his skin, but he stood up, knowing the sharp cold would soon ebb away. He silently and stealthily crossed the floor to the opposite bed. His eyes gazed down at the long black hair that was covering the sterile white pillow and blankets. Melodi. What was she doing here? 'This must be why she wasn't at dinner.' He thought to himself. What had happened? Then he remembered back to this afternoon and shuddered.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and a loud gasp echoed through the room. Her eyes were solid black. He stepped back, but she didn't seem to notice him. Her eyes were looking at him, but not. He watched as the dark eyes seemed to disappear, and then her regular violet eyes were back. She still wasn't looking at him though; her eyes were in a mindless gape. Draco stepped back again, scared he would do something to disturb her, wherever she was. He crossed back to his bed, and saw that Melodi's eyes had closed once again. But now she didn't look dead, she just looked like she was sleeping. The awkward stillness that surrounded her was gone; her chest rising and falling with every breath.
'At least someone can sleep around here.' Draco thought sullenly as he wrapped the blankets around himself. 'I wish I could fall asleep like that.' Draco closed his eyes, inhaled and fell into a deep, restful sleep.
Melodi hugged herself against the common room door. She was out of breath and panting wildly. Her lungs were tightening in her chest, making it hard to get any air. What had just happened? Too many thoughts were swirling in her head, she needed to lie down. All thoughts of class left her as she made her way up the stairs to her room. The room started to tilt around her, her legs weakened, and her stomach turned over. 'What is happening to me?!' she screamed in her head. Melodi tripped on a stair, but caught the railing to keep from falling down. Her vision blurred- colors were swimming through her eyes; red, purple, blue, all mixing together. And then her head was on something soft. 'I must've made it to my bed.' Her eyes closed and the colors surrounded her. Pictures flashed through her mind, like a movie in fast forward. In her dream, there were columns around her, like in the pictures that
depicted antiquity. People were bowing before her, offering her foods, precious metals, fabrics of all colors and textures. She sat up high, as if on a gigantic throne. Whispers filled her mind, pleadings and prayers of the people who offered her the rich bounty. She saw herself, flying through the sky, weaving in and out of the clouds on her way from house to house. She would land next to a person, whisper in their ear and then fly away. The next flash was of her in a battle. Her voice was shrill and pierced through the air like javelins, each one finding a target. Men, soldiers, warriors dropped to their knees before her, covering their ears in agony. Full grown men passed out after vomiting up their insides. Still the piercing sounds did not stop. Soon, the men closest to her started to tremble violently. Their skin looked like wax under a fire, bubbling and shifting on their bodies. The flesh melted away, muscle mass spilled out over the cold earth, and all that remained were the skeletons of men. Moans of inexplicable horror filled her ears, but she could not stop. When a grave silence settled over her, the noise stopped. She looked around, pleased at her handiwork.
The next flash was of her, lying in the middle of a large bed. She was wrapped in silks and satins of all colors, bowls of fruit lay next to her, beautiful women and men lay at the foot of her bed. She caught the flash of metal through the corner of her eye. Suddenly, a pain ripped through her, but a hand covered her mouth so she could not scream. The lethal determination of the blade's wielder was evident in the pain that shot
through her writhing body. She felt herself disappearing and she looked down, she knew she was still on the bed, but she could not see herself. The hand was startled and pulled away. 'Kill it, kill it now!' She heard an angry male voice over her head. The pain continued to course through her body. She knew she wasn't strong enough to move, or use her voice to save her. It was the end. She felt another, unearthly stab of pain, then another and another, until they all rolled into one massive agony. The last thing she heard as she slipped away, was her own voice, gurgling on death. Then it was all black.
"Malfoy! What in bloody hell are you doing here? Where's Melodi?" Hermione almost tripped over him as she rounded the corner to the portrait. She looked down at him, his skin was paler than normal and he was sweating profusely. Malfoy looked up at the three friends and tried to smirk.
"Your little psychotic friend slammed into me on her way into the Tower. I suggest you put her on a leash, seeing as how you can't keep her under control. Now, if you three don't mind, I'd like to get as far away from the Gryffindor Tower as possible." With that he shakily stood up and hobbled away. Hermione watched as he left. 'Something is not right here, but I don't know what.' she thought to herself. Harry was talking to the Fat Lady in the portrait who was excitedly telling him what happened.
".and then before I even knew what happened, she had that mean- mouthed little boy raised above her head with just one hand. The most amazing thing I've ever seen. She was still yelling at him, but I don't quite remember what she was saying because her voice was so unusual that I had to cover my ears. Then he was on the ground and she was inside. Amazing sight, if I do say so myself, and I do! I cannot wait to tell the other portraits at tea time, they won't believe what happened ." Harry said his thanks and the password. The fat lady was still chattering as they all entered the common room. The three friends circled around but there was no sign of Melodi anywhere.
"Hermione, you should go check the girl's tower. Maybe she locked herself in her room." Ron suggested. Hermione nodded and headed up the stairs. Before she got halfway up, she saw Melodi lying in the middle of the hallway, unconscious.
"You guys! She's unconscious! We have to get her to Madame Pomfrey!" Hermione called from the stairs. Hermione put the mobilius spell on Melodi's form and floated her down the stairs.
The three friends took turns floating her to the hospital wing. When they got there, they set her on a bed as Madame Pomfrey came running out.
"What happened to the poor dear?!"
"Madame Pomfrey, we're not sure. We found her like this in Gryffindor Tower. We thought it best to just bring her here to you." Harry informed the medi-witch as she bustled about performing spells to see what happened to Melodi.
"Well, I'm glad you did. Now Harry, you go get Professor Dumbledore while Hermione and Ron, you two go to whatever class you had next and inform the Professor of the situation. When you have finished with that, stay in class and don't worry about your friend here; she'll be fine under my care." Madame Pomfrey did all but physically push them out of the room.
"She will be okay, right Hermione?" Ron asked, a worried look in his eyes.
"She will be fine Ron. You heard Madame Pomfrey, don't worry about it. Now come on, our next class is Potions with Snape. And this is a something I'd rather get over sooner than later."
Snape paced around the classroom, watching as the dimwitted seventh year Gryffindors attempted to make a simple Skele-grow Potion. He grimaced at the fact that the Golden Trio and his niece were all missing from class. But he had warned himself, he could not show any outright concern. He had just headed over to Longbottom's cauldron when his classroom door opened, allowing Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to enter.
"Perhaps, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, you would both like to spend two weeks of detention with myself for being over 20 minutes late for your first potions class. 50 points each from Gryffindor. Now, please take your seats and begin working." Snape made his words icy and venomous. No one dared to come in that late to his class.
"Professor Snape, we were late because." Hermione started to explain after she and Ron had sat at their desks.
"Miss Granger, I do not care about the details of how or why you were late. They are inconsequential to me."
"But, Professor Snape." Ron tried to cut in,
"Another 20 points from Gryffindor for disobeying a Professor. Now both of you be quiet!" Snape's voice thundered out in the stone classroom, echoing off the walls. Just as his voice died down, Harry came waltzing through the door. Snape turned to him, fury making his voice as cold as steel. "Welcome, Mr. Potter. So nice of you to finally join us. Please do take a seat. Oh, yes, and another 50 points from Gryffindor." Snape laughed in his head, Gryffindor was losing points by the second.
"Professor Snape, I just came from Madame Pomfrey. She sent me to get Dumbledore because Hermione, Ron and I found the new student, Melodi DeRowane, unconscious in the Gryffindor Tower. We took her to the hospital wing. That's why we were all late. Madame Pomfrey told us to tell you." Harry said, after looking at his two friends, both staring angrily at Professor Snape.
Snape caught himself before he reacted. Melodi was hurt? What could have happened to her in the Tower to leave her unconscious? But Snape knew the answer already- the Skills of Dreams. Morpheus' heir was starting her transformation. He didn't know exactly what that entailed, but if it had left Melodi unconscious, it couldn't have been good. He had to see her, make sure she was okay. 'Damnit man, she's old enough to take care of herself. Just let it be. She said today she didn't want your help anyway.' Snape mentally shook himself. What was he saying? She didn't know what she needed, she was still a child. A stubborn child, nonetheless, being one of his kin. Snape thought quickly as the students started finishing their potions. He would go see her once classes were over. "As soon as you've finished your potions, bottle them and then you are dismissed." Snape turned and sat as his desk, pretending to mark papers as he waited for the last student to hand in his potion.
Surprisingly, Hermione, Ron and Harry had all finished their potions first and sped out of the classroom, no doubt in a hurry to check on their friend. When the last student had left, Snape headed towards the hospital wing. He walked in to see the three Gryffindors, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore all surrounding Melodi's bed. Dumbledore turned around as Snape approached.
"Severus, old boy. She's going to be fine. But I do think there are some things that you and I must discuss." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. 'Bloody twinkle. Does it ever stop?' Snape asked himself.
"Why does that greasy old git care about her?" Ron whispered to Harry. Harry shrugged and looked away as Snape's glare was turned toward him.
"If you really must know, Mr. Weasley. This 'greasy old git' cares for her, because she is my niece. Not that it is any of your business." Snape replied, slight fury making his voice heavy. The shocked expressions on the three students and Madame Pomfrey were almost too much for Severus. He almost wanted to laugh. Almost.
"Your. niece?"
"Yes, Miss Granger, my niece. I did not think that you of all people would have to be informed of the meaning of the word." Snape's sarcastic remark hit its mark as Hermione winced and then glared.
"I know very well what the word means, Professor. I just did not expect the two of you to be related. I mean, Melodi's so nice and you're." Hermione covered her mouth with her hand before she finished her sentence, but her words hung in the air.
"And I'm so what Miss Granger? Mean and old and insufferable? I have been called worse." Snape turned back to Professor Dumbledore and his still twinkling eyes, dismissing the three gawking students behind him. "Headmaster, perhaps we should discuss my niece's wellbeing. Now is as good a time as any." Dumbledore nodded and the two walked to his office, leaving the Golden Trio open mouthed and wide eyed, staring at their unconscious friend.
Draco was pushing his food around on his plate. He was anxious. Potter, Weasel and Mudblood were nowhere to be seen. Along with them, Melodi was gone too. Draco thought back to this afternoon. He had never experienced anything like it, especially at the hands of a girl his age. Her eyes, her voice, and her strength- it scared him but he still felt drawn to her. 'Of course I'm drawn to her, all Slytherins are drawn to power.' He chided himself. Draco felt his stomach shift. Ever since this afternoon, he had been nauseous to no end. Before he could stop it the feelings from this afternoon flooded over him. Pain shot through his head and stomach, causing him to wince and stand up from the table.
"Where you going Drakey?" Pansy whined as she noticed him leaving. She grabbed his arm to pull him back down, but he shrugged her off violently.
"I have work to do Pansy. Let me be." He did his best to walk normally out of the Great Hall. As he turned the corner that led to the Slytherin Tower, Draco suffered another bout of pain, this time worse than the last. His vision wavered, and he felt himself struggling to not vomit. He stumbled down the hall and right into a mass of flesh. He gazed up into twinkling eyes; he groaned loudly and passed out at the feet of Professors Dumbledore and Snape.
Snape paced Dumbledore's office, trying to work out a way to word his thoughts. Dumbledore sat as his desk, hands steepled in thought. "Well, Severus, is there something you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore voiced. Snape smirked; Dumbledore knew very well what Snape had to tell him. 'Well, no use in talking around it then.' Snape thought to himself.
"Headmaster, my niece, she's..she's different." Snape started. Dumbledore nodded his head, signaling for Snape to go on. "She.Headmaster, have you ever heard of the fabled Powers of Morpheus?" Snape went on, not waiting for an answer. "It says that the old God Morpheus would choose only one heir, and to this heir he would bestow his powers. Morpheus' heir would go through a transformation of sorts, though the text does not go into detail about what this transformation includes. It does, however, describe the powers this heir shall receive. 'When her eyes bleed black, it is the first sign of transformation. Soon to follow will be an unmatchable strength of arms and mind, a piercing defense that will render enemies helpless, the ability to shift forms both animate and inanimate, and the power to disappear.' Headmaster, I was.discussing matters with my niece in the hall, and she got angry. Her eyes turned completely black, just like the text says! My niece is the heir of Morpheus!" Snape banged his fist on the back of a chair.
Dumbledore sat quietly for a minute as Snape glared at the fireplace.
"Severus, I already know the answer to this question but, does the child know all of this?"
"Of course not! I didn't learn this information myself until lunch. And since she was unconscious at the time, I was not able to speak with her about during or after class."
"I understand." Dumbledore gazed carefully at Snape, searching him. "Severus, is there anything else that you aren't telling me?"
Snape grimaced. Of course there was more, there was always more. Nothing came without a warning label.
"The text also says 'Ye who inherit the dreams must seek the light or else darkness will swallow the world.' Headmaster, I believe this warning has to do with the War against Voldemort." Another thought suddenly struck Snape as he sat, overwhelmed in his chair. "And I think that may be the reason my cousin sent her to us. She wrote me a letter and in it she said that her husband was trying to get Melodi to join the Dark lord, but she wouldn't stand for it. Maybe she had reason to believe her husband was so intent on getting Melodi to join because they knew she was going to be receiving those powers."
Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "That may be, Severus. I do not want to take the chance of owling anyone about this just yet. Let us go to dinner, and then we can head back to the infirmary and see how your niece is doing. I heard that the house elves have been preparing a wonderful meal for tonight's dinner, it would be a shame for us to miss out on it."
Snape rolled his eyes. Dumbledore was always focused on food of some sort. Although he did not want to spend anymore time with a hall full of students, he followed Dumbledore down to the Great Hall. The two were walking side by side when Draco Malfoy stumbled into their vision and collapsed onto the floor. He looked up, eyes glossed over, and groaned loudly. Snape couldn't keep the look of shock off of his face. He had only heard a groan like that when the Dark Lord was torturing someone. Then the boy passed out at his feet.
Dumbledore and Snape hurriedly picked up the boy and rushed him to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey came flying out, "Good heavens, what has happened with this one?! Two in one day, my word!" Snape sat the boy on the bed across from Melodi and Poppy rushed around mending Draco.
Snape and Dumbledore sat, watching as all of a sudden Draco's body convulsed and he started dry-heaving violently. Madame Pomfrey strapped him down to the bed and poured a vial of green liquid down his throat.
"Severus, don't just sit there, come help me get him under control. He's going to vomit up his insides if we don't stop it!" she shrieked across the room. Snape jumped up and went over to the bed, holding Draco's head still so Poppy could continue pouring vial after vial down his throat. Dumbledore, did his part by unstoppering the vials and handing them to the medi-witch. After a few minutes, that seemed to take forever, Draco's body stopped convulsing and he went limp.
"Poppy is he okay?" Dumbledore asked, a worried look in his old eyes.
"He'll be fine Headmaster. You got him here just in time." She sighed as she sat down next to Draco's bed.
"What caused this?" Snape asked, staring at Draco's limp form. Poppy ran her hands down her arms, as if suppressing a chill.
"I'm not positive. I never thought I would see something like this, but I did learn about something like it. When I was going through training, one of my instructors told us all about this incredible power that can cause a long and tortuous death. It starts with a dizzying headache that paralyzes the person, then it causes the victim to literally vomit up their insides- intestines, stomach lining, everything." The older woman shook with her memories. "That's not the worst though. Soon, the skin starts to boil and melt, whatever wasn't vomited up leaks out once the skin is gone, and all that remains is a skeleton."
"Poppy, I know this isn't my area of expertise, but, how did you know that..THAT would happen to Draco? How did you know it wasn't something else?" Dumbledore gently prodded the woman for answers. Poppy sighed again, collecting herself before she spoke.
"In all honesty, I never would have guessed it if I hadn't used my wand to check him over. His body was glowing bright silver. I have never seen that before. Each injury and medical issue has its own color, that's why I always double check a patient with my wand, to make sure I have accurately diagnosed the problem. Nothing that I have ever studied glows silver. When I didn't recognize it, I remembered what my instructor told me."
Snape and Dumbledore looked at each other. They didn't have to voice their concern, each knew what the other was thinking- The Powers of Morpheus.
Ron, Harry and Hermione sat in their common room. Hermione was trying to study while Ron and Harry played a game of Wizard's Chess. After a half hour or so, Hermione was no further along in her studies, and Ron had successfully beat Harry three times in a row.
"What's the matter Harry? This is your third loss! I know I'm good, but you're flattering me right now." Ron tried to grin at his friend, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Harry sighed and sat back in his seat, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"I'm just worried about Melodi. I mean, I just wish I knew what was wrong and what had happened. I feel so useless just sitting here." Harry's voice was full of despondence. He looked up at his two friends, knowing that they felt the same way. It was there, in all of their eyes, that forlorn look a person gets when they are totally helpless to do anything but wait and worry. Harry turned to Hermione, the Head Girl knew all the rules. "Maybe if we go, Madame Pomfrey will let us see her?"
"I don't see why not. After all, it isn't after hours yet." Hermione smiled her answer. "But I doubt she will let us stay too long. Melodi may not even be conscious yet." The three headed in silence down the corridors and to the hospital wing. There was no sign of Madame Pomfrey so they headed towards Melodi's bed. Ron and Harry took the two seats on Melodi's right side, leaving Hermione to go fetch a chair from across the room. As she was lifting the chair, Hermione noticed a figure in the bed across the room. Was that. no! It couldn't be, could it? Also unconscious, in the bed directly across from Melodi's, lay Draco Malfoy.
"Hey you two, look at this." Hermione crossed to Draco's bedside, looking over him to see what was wrong. There were no visible signs of ailment or injury, just a grave stillness to his usually animate form. "Malfoy is unconscious too. I wonder what's going on." Harry and Ron both looked over at the bed, not bothering to get up.
"Serves him right, stupid bastard." Ron muttered, turning his gaze back to Melodi. Hermione shrugged and carried her chair to join her friends. 'Wait! Wasn't Malfoy limping away today before we found Melodi? What if someone attacked them? No, that's not right. What did the Fat Lady in the Portrait say. something about an unusual voice?' Hermione was chewing her bottom lip in thought.
"Harry, what did the Fat Lady in the Portrait say to you today right before we found Melodi?" Hermione questioned her friend. Harry closed his eyes, willing himself to remember.
"I think she said something about how Melodi lifted Draco in the air, then dropped him and ran into the room." Harry replied.
"No, not that part. The part about an unusual voice or something."
"Oh, well she said that Melodi was yelling at Draco, but she didn't hear what was being said because Melodi's voice was unusual and she had to cover her ears." Harry paused, his mind starting to click. "Come to think of it, that's a weird thing to say. I could understand if she had to cover her ears because Melodi's voice was loud, but she said it was unusual. What do you think she meant by unusual?"
"I don't know Harry, but I'm going to find out. I'll see you two later, I'm going to the library." Hermione dashed out of the hospital wing and down the corridors to the library. The whole trip, all she could think of was what the woman in the portrait had said 'unusual voice'. Hermione made her way into the back part of the library, scanning the rows as she went. She pulled out book after book on myths, legends, fables, and fairytales. 'Unusual voice.' It ran through her mind as she flipped through page after page, searching for she didn't know what. It was on the tip of her mind, but she couldn't remember specifically what she needed.
"Ha!" Hermione yelped when she found the topic that had been eluding her. The book 'Great Fables and Fairytales of The Magic World' lay open to a chapter entitled 'Greek Fable 10: Morpheus' Heir of Power'. Hermione quickly read the chapter and gasped when she finished. 'Unusual voice. One of the Powers of Morpheus is a voice defense.' She reread the passage to make sure she was correct:
"Morpheus was known not only for his ability to create and alter dreams, but also for his unique powers of defense. It is said that during battles, Morpheus' incredible strength matched no other, he could take down thirty men with one swipe of an arm. However, Morpheus' greatest power lay in his voice. During the Battle of The Immortals, Greece's army marched towards the gods and goddesses and presented a mighty force. The Immortals were weakening, and their one hope lay in Morpheus. Standing on a cliff above the marching army, Morpheus was said to have made a sound like no other. The opposing army fell to it's knees as the unusual voice echoed across the valley. Men fell were they stood, vomiting up their insides. Soon after, their skin melted away, their muscles leaked out, and all that was left was an army of skeletal bones."
Hermione shivered 'The woman in the portrait said Melodi lifted Draco over her head. She would need to be incredibly strong to lift a seasoned Quidditch seeker.' At the same time, the words 'incredible strength' flashed through her mind. 'And she has the unusual voice. I bet she used that on Malfoy too. That's why he was hobbling away, and that's why he's unconscious now.' Hermione shut the book and stared at the cover, willing herself to not think the next thought, but she couldn't help it. Melodi was the heir.
The clock rang the time, fifteen minutes till curfew. Hermione checked out the book she had been reading and headed to her room. She needed time to think, and of course she needed to figure out how to explain this all to Harry and Ron without them both flipping out.
Later that night, Draco rolled over and groaned, opening his eyes from the pain. He looked around, he wasn't in his room. Where was he? All he remembered was leaving dinner and.the pain and. those eyes. Dumbledore's eyes. He must've passed out and the Headmaster brought him here.
Draco sat up in bed, running a hand through his sticky hair. He needed a shower, his entire body was covered in a film of dried sweat. He noticed a form across the room. Someone else was spending the night in the hospital wing too. Against his body's wishes, Draco pulled the blankets off of himself and set his feet on the floor. The cold tiles bit his skin, but he stood up, knowing the sharp cold would soon ebb away. He silently and stealthily crossed the floor to the opposite bed. His eyes gazed down at the long black hair that was covering the sterile white pillow and blankets. Melodi. What was she doing here? 'This must be why she wasn't at dinner.' He thought to himself. What had happened? Then he remembered back to this afternoon and shuddered.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and a loud gasp echoed through the room. Her eyes were solid black. He stepped back, but she didn't seem to notice him. Her eyes were looking at him, but not. He watched as the dark eyes seemed to disappear, and then her regular violet eyes were back. She still wasn't looking at him though; her eyes were in a mindless gape. Draco stepped back again, scared he would do something to disturb her, wherever she was. He crossed back to his bed, and saw that Melodi's eyes had closed once again. But now she didn't look dead, she just looked like she was sleeping. The awkward stillness that surrounded her was gone; her chest rising and falling with every breath.
'At least someone can sleep around here.' Draco thought sullenly as he wrapped the blankets around himself. 'I wish I could fall asleep like that.' Draco closed his eyes, inhaled and fell into a deep, restful sleep.